Shade and Soul
by Jedipati
Summary: Beckett is dead. His guide to his place in the land of the dead is not to his liking. His guide isn’t too happy about it either. Post-AWE.


Title: Shade and Soul  
Author: immortal_jedi  
Pairing: N/A

Characters: Hector Barbossa and Cutler Beckett  
Rating: PG  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the POTC world, or the afterlife. I think I might own this idea, though.  
Warnings: Mentions of canon character death  
Summary: Beckett is dead. His guide to his place in the land of the dead is not to his liking. His guide isn't too happy about it either.

Author's Note: This was written for the merrypirates gift exchange over on livejournal. I wrote this for Barbossa's Monkey.

_Character/pairing request 3: Barbossa and Beckett mainly, can add Mercer_

_Specific request: I'd like to see these two confront each other! If you can work it to fit during, after or between the movies a + for you! These two can have a conversation, captor to prisoner, or a physical confrontation with swords and pistols drawn. Whatever you can think of. No slash or hints of slash. These are straight men who are enemies._

I liked this prompt. However, when I saw that she wanted me to work it to fit before, during, or after the movies, I… well, my brain went to the twilight zone, I'm afraid. This is the result.

* * *

Lord Cutler Beckett looked around the room. He couldn't remember how he'd come to be here; the last thing that he could remember was a ship.

He'd been a passenger on that ship, he thought. Yes, a passenger, and they were traveling… where? Here? Why this room? Why not Port Royal? He'd been meaning to return there after destroying the pirates.

He had destroyed them, right?

Perhaps he was in Port Royal, and he was merely waiting for Mercer to bring him news. Had he been sick? That would explain why he couldn't remember how he'd gotten into this room.

The door opened and a pirate entered. Beckett jumped to his feet, glad he had his cane with him. Most people didn't know that he carried a swordstick.

"You! You're one of the ones Sparrow's worked with!" Beckett said.

The pirate scowled. "Only in the sense that we had no choice but to work together," he drawled.

Beckett smiled. "Another man who is less then fond of Sparrow?"

"I am Captain Hector Barbossa," the pirate said. "And no, I don't particularly like Sparrow, but I like you even less. Why they've chosen me ta do this I don't know, Beckett."

"Lord Cutler Beckett, I'll have you know," Beckett narrowed his eyes, gripping his cane tightly. Any moment now, this pirate would attack him…

Barbossa grinned unpleasantly. "You're dead, Beckett."

Beckett froze. "That's impossible. I've merely been captured. I'd remember dying."

Barbossa grinned maliciously. "Oh really? Is that what Captain Turner told you?"

Beckett frowned. "I don't remember anyone…" he trailed off.

Memories assaulted him- the _Dutchman_ and the _Pearl_ turning on him, and then he found himself in a small boat. Eventually, a ship picked him up, and he found that Captain Turner was taking him to the land of the dead.

Barbossa grinned again. "I see you remember now." He sounded extremely satisfied.

Beckett frowned. "I am trapped with a pirate for eternity. I do not deserve hell."

Barbossa shook his head. "If ye were trapped with me, then ye'd not be here," he said. "This is merely yer first stop. I'm here ta guide ye on yer way. An' trust me, Beckett, ye deserve hell."

Beckett sneered. "So, at least pirates are reduced in the afterlife- to mere guides of those better then you," he said.

Barbossa laughed heartily. "You are a fool, Beckett. A complete fool. No, I'm not your guide because I'm a pirate in life, or even because I'm less then you. I'm your guide because you are a soul, and I am a shade."

Beckett frowned at him. "What does that mean? We're all dead."

Barbossa smiled smugly. "No. You are dead. I have been dead, but my soul and body are still alive- or rather, alive again. I'm a shade of the man who died and now lives again."

Beckett narrowed his eyes. "It is possible to live after dying? And a pirate managed it? There is no justice in the world."

Barbossa smirked. "There is justice, Beckett. It merely 'tain't concerned with human forms of justice. Instead, the justice after death looks at a man's life, and why he's done all that he has done. Meself, I was needed back in the world of the living, by one who had power to bring me back." Barbossa shrugged and gestured. "An' I'm ta show you where ye are going. So let's get going, an' I can get away from you."

Beckett glared at him, but stood up. "What would I need to do to get back to the world of the living?"

Barbossa laughed. "Ye lost yer best chance of it when Captain Turner brought ye here, Beckett. Not that I'd tell ye, the world is better without ye in it."

Beckett glared. "I am a businessman, an honest citizen of the crown! I have done more good then a pirate ever could!"

Barbossa leaned forward. "Ye are a murderer, a liar, and a cheat. Ye've left nothing but misery in your wake, and ye did it all for money!"

"Those that were killed were lawbreakers," Beckett said, unconcerned. "I only lied to keep those who hated the law from knowing what I was doing. And I have never cheated anyone."

"Yer victims say otherwise, Beckett," Barbossa said. "Were it my choice, ye'd be in the deepest circle of hell already. But I am merely here to take ye to yer judges." He smirked. "Ye may plead your case before them."

Beckett smirked back. "Then take me to them, pirate. I see no need to stay here, bantering with you. Not when I will be taken to my rightful place, and justified."

Barbossa laughed. "Very well then, Beckett. Let's take ye to yer fate."

Beckett proceeded out of the door before Barbossa, who smirked at his backside again. "Ye'll need me t' lead ye there." Gracefully- for Beckett was an English Lord and he could be polite, even to filthy, smirking pirates- Beckett gestured for him to lead.

Barbossa took the lead just as gracefully. He was a pirate, but he knew that his soul was in a much better state then this Englishman's. Even if that soul was in the land of the living, and all that was here was an echo of the man.

Barbossa knew that he had done more good then Beckett ever had. So, he led the man to the judges, and he knew that he'd be called to lead the man to his fate, once the judges had decided his fate.

Barbossa was willing to bet that it was to be the deepest circle of hell, and for all eternity.

No one, soul, shade, or spirit, was willing to take that bet, unfortunately. Even Governor Swann, who was waiting outside the doors to learn where his murderer was heading, refused.

They waited a long time, and Barbossa frowned as the doors to the judgment chamber remained closed for far longer then most life trials.

Finally, they opened, and the judges called him in. "No doubt, Captain Barbossa, you know what has been said about Lord Beckett. Fortunately for him, he did not betray anyone in life, save for Governor Swann. And that was simply a prelude to murder," the female judge said.

Barbossa bowed, though he was somewhat disappointed. "Lord Beckett is to be guided to the seventh circle," the male judge said.

Beckett jumped to his feet. "I committed no murders!"

"But murders were committed on your orders," Barbossa said. He grabbed Beckett's arm to lead him away.

"NO!"

Beckett wrenched his arm away from Barbossa, and did… something, to his cane.

A second later, Barbossa jumped back as a slim sword lashed through the area he'd just been standing.

Barbossa laughed delightedly. "With yer permission," he said to the judges as he pulled out his own sword.

Just in time, too, for Beckett was apparently competent with a blade. Barbossa was on the defense at first, but not for long.

Beckett was good, but he wasn't that good. He was also unwilling to fight in any way but a classical style.

Since Barbossa was quite willing to do anything to win, he had Beckett on the ground and disarmed quickly.

Beckett cringed away from the blade and Barbossa sneered at him. "I'll take him t' his fate now," he said.

He put his sword away and hauled Beckett up. "Come on, Beckett. The seventh circle awaits."

Barbossa dragged Beckett through the doors and down to where he knew the other man would be taken to his fate. Beckett had recovered enough that he started to struggle as they reached the funnel.

Barbossa grew tired of it and pushed him forward. "You won't get away with this, pirate!" Beckett yelled as he just barely caught the edge of the funnel that would take him to hell.

"Oh, I suspect ye'll see my soul in hell one o' these days," Barbossa agreed. "But unlike ye, I know I deserve it." Deliberately, Barbossa stepped on Beckett's fingers. As Beckett started to fall, Barbossa smirked. "Unless, o'course, my living self manages to find the waters of life."

Barbossa watched in satisfaction as Beckett fell. Barbossa didn't know precisely what was in the seventh circle, but he felt that Beckett deserved it.

Barbossa wandered toward the docks. The _Flying Dutchman_ would probably be arriving with another batch of souls soon, and he wanted to tell Captain Turner about Beckett's fate. Captain Turner would pass on the information to Barbossa's soul.

Barbossa grinned and hummed absently as he headed away. Beckett was stuck with his well-deserved fate now.

* * *

So, I hope you all enjoyed this little walk into the afterlife, and what awaits Lord Cutler Beckett now that he's dead and gone.


End file.
